Life is full of highs and lows – we get sidetracked into the ditch and have to find our way back to the road we are meant to travel. We need to jump out of the gully.

This past week I ran into a roadblock. It made me realize a few things & make some changes.

I have a cornea condition called, “Cornea Dystrophy”, a disorder that clouds up your vision and creates a constant burning sensation. It’s a problem that heals and then comes back. During the times that it is acting up like this last week, it makes it difficult to focus on work through the pain and struggle of trying to read a script. I always fight through it & manage to get everything done but it seems to be twice as hard to accomplish. I always tell myself that I am lucky and that things could be much worse. What if I were a Pilot? My career would likely be put on hold or even over. First realization.

When facing a hurdle, it is natural to run for the ditch and give up. It’s too easy to just let the frustration overwhelm you causing you to just walk away from your project. Second realization. If you make sure to take a short break when you feel like that and then get back to your project – it will run much smoother and you will feel better. My days were difficult while dealing with my eye but when I would take just a few minutes to rest it, it made all the difference. When doing voice-overs, If you are dealing with pain or discomfort, don’t force it to happen when it’s not there. Your frustration can lead to a dissatisfied client because they will hear it in your recording.

Third realization. We are all dealing with struggles at different points in our lives. It is the way we look at those struggles, our attitude that makes or breaks us. When facing a challenge, find a way to jump out or around it. What can you do differently? How can you manage your time, so that these types of hurdles don’t get in the way of delivering excellence?

There is always a detour around every roadblock and you might even enjoy the scenery.

Comments

No one can ever truthfully say: “I understand”, Unless they actually have the same difficulties that you have or I have. I can only say how much I Sympathize with you, only due to severe Back Pain that is always constant and I have to live with it until I can get the proper medical help. But until then, yes, those things are very frustrating and even Maddening to the point where it can affect your voice over production. I find at times that I need to go through perhaps what an actor in the Movies goes through, I need to psych myself up into the mentality of the Copy at hand, and then run with it. Actors do that sort of thing, even when their personal lives are in the dumper. It’s not easy, but we as voice over Actors must approach it in that same way. Many of you probably do, but even I am learning new things all the time. And Terry, I feel for you my friend, and I am 100% behind you on what you have said! May your discomfort be little and fleeting!! – DVS

I agree – great article, Terry! Thanks for sharing your struggles – I’m sorry you have problems with your eyes. My dad lived with retinitis pigmentosa (a.k.a. RP) most of his adult life. It gave him progressively decreasing peripheral vision. By the time he died at 72, he only had 2 % of the vision field most of us sighted folks have.

Terry, great article. You must be from the midwest, where we commonly use terms like “gully-washer” , and everyone knows to head for a ditch if you’re out and about when a tornado comes around. Your point about attitude is spot-on.Thanks for sharing this with us.
Ann

Good article, Terry!
I’ve done a few voice overs that I should never have done when I was in pain.
And I’m not talking about the one I get in my a$$ from some clients…. but real pain from an injury or surgery.

Terry, your words struck accord. I’ve just had essential major dental work that is going to put back considerably my plans for making a demo recording. Despite my best efforts my voice coach Marc Cashman has noted the changes in my sound, and I have to rethink my plans. I will continue to take classes and volunteer as an audio book reader to keep up to standard until my time comes. Thank you for your reassurance and advice.

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